Undergraduate

Geology

Geology is an applied science that aims to understand all aspects of our planet, ranging from the Earth's surface to the deep interior.
75
ATAR

Contact us

Address

Student Central

The University of Western Australia (M355), 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, Western Australia 6009

Telephone

131 UWA (131 892)

International

(+61 8) 6488 1000

Hours

8.30am - 5pm AWST, Monday - Friday

Frequently asked questions

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Careers and further study

This course opens up a world of future study pathways and career opportunities.

Career Pathways

Career opportunities are diverse and include the resources industries (e.g. minerals, petroleum, groundwater) or research fields such as planetary geology, volcano or earthquake hazard prediction. Additional career opportunities exist in government agencies dealing with resources or environmental consultancies and agencies. Many graduates continue to develop their specialist skills in industry or government agencies around the world, while others join academic institutions.
Career opportunities are diverse and include the resources industries (e.g. minerals, petroleum, groundwater) or research fields such as planetary geology, volcano or earthquake hazard prediction. Additional career opportunities exist in government agencies dealing with resources or environmental consultancies and agencies. Many graduates continue to develop their specialist skills in industry or government agencies around the world, while others join academic institutions.

Further Study

Honours in Geology provides you with an opportunity to undertake coursework units with direct application to important resources in Western Australia as well as a research project. As a graduate you will be well positioned for career opportunities in the resources industries (e.g. energy, mineral deposits and groundwater) and environmental fields. The honours specialisation will strengthen and expand the knowledge and skills you gained during your undergraduate degree and will provide experience in completing a major research project, which requires high-level scientific writing and oral presentation skills. An honours degree may also lead you to the completion of a higher degree by research and further career opportunities in industry, university, or government research organisations. The Bachelor of Science with a major in Geology is recognised by the Australian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy (AusIMM). Students undertaking this course may be eligible for bursaries and scholarships offered by the AusIMM, and are eligible to apply for membership on completion of their degree.
Honours in Geology provides you with an opportunity to undertake coursework units with direct application to important resources in Western Australia as well as a research project. As a graduate you will be well positioned for career opportunities in the resources industries (e.g. energy, mineral deposits and groundwater) and environmental fields. The honours specialisation will strengthen and expand the knowledge and skills you gained during your undergraduate degree and will provide experience in completing a major research project, which requires high-level scientific writing and oral presentation skills. An honours degree may also lead you to the completion of a higher degree by research and further career opportunities in industry, university, or government research organisations. The Bachelor of Science with a major in Geology is recognised by the Australian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy (AusIMM). Students undertaking this course may be eligible for bursaries and scholarships offered by the AusIMM, and are eligible to apply for membership on completion of their degree.

Fees and scholarships

Learn more about the fees that apply to you for this course. For fee type definitions and further assistance, see the Fee Calculator Help page. You can also search our database for scholarships that are relevant to you or this course

Domestic Student Fees

Indicative annual course fee
2025
Commonwealth Supported Place $10,248.76

Eligible Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) students can use the HECS-HELP loan program to pay their tuition fees. For Full-Fee Paying (FFP) places, students are charged an annual course fee.

Find out more information about tuition fees, or visit the fee calculator for a more accurate cost.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available to students from a diverse range of backgrounds, including academic achievement, financial need, educational disadvantage, leadership and community service, artistic or sporting achievements, and being from a rural or remote area.

Cost of living

There are a few things to consider before applying to study at university. One could be your cost of living. This can depend on factors such as lifestyle, accommodation, tuition fees, medical insurance, textbooks and more. For an indication of expenses and average costs, see our Cost of living page.

International Student Fees

Indicative first year fee
2024
$43,900.00
2025
$46,300.00

Find out more about tuition fees or visit the fee calculator for the estimated total course fee.

Note, tuition fees are reviewed annually and are subject to increase up to 7.5 per cent per annum.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available to students from a diverse range of backgrounds, including academic achievement, financial need, educational disadvantage, leadership and community service, artistic or sporting achievements, and being from a rural or remote area.

Cost of living

There are a few things to consider before applying to study at university. One could be your cost of living. This can depend on factors such as lifestyle, accommodation, tuition fees, medical insurance, textbooks and more. For an indication of expenses and average costs, see our Cost of living page.

Admission requirements

The University of Western Australia welcomes applications from international and domestic school-leavers. If you’re interested in studying this major, find out the admission details below.

Minimum entry requirements

Below you’ll find a list of admission equivalencies for this course's Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR).

Admission requirements

For applicants with recent secondary education, information on admission criteria is available on our entry requirements page or on the UWA Handbook for course specific requirements and prerequisites.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENT

English competency

English is the language of instruction and assessment at UWA and you will need to meet the English language requirements of the University to be eligible for a place.

Minimum overall IELTS score of 6.5, with no band less than 6.0.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENT

How to apply

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Course details

Do you want to know more about our planet? Geology students learn about how applying knowledge of Earth's processes and time scales is fundamental to locating resources such as groundwater, petroleum and minerals, and understanding climate and other environmental changes. As most of Australia's mineral and petroleum resources are in Western Australia, UWA is the ideal place to study geology.

 

About the course

A major in Geology involves the study of how the Earth formed and evolved during the past 4.4 billion years, including the origin of continents, oceans, atmosphere and life, and how natural processes deep within Earth's interior shape the surface on which we live.
Geology

Quick details

Status
  • Available
Locations
  • Perth (Crawley campus)
  • Albany (Regional campus)
Attendance
  • Full-time
  • Part-time
Delivery
  • On-campus
Starting dates
  • Semester 1, Semester 2
Weekly contact time
  • 18-24 hours contact time, plus your own study time
Level of study
  • Undergraduate
Course Code
  • MJD-GEOGY
Full time/part time duration
  • 3 years (BSc), 4 years (BSc[Hons])
Geology
Status
  • Available
Locations
  • Perth (Crawley campus)
  • Albany (Regional campus)
Attendance
  • Full-time
  • Part-time
Delivery
  • On-campus
Starting dates
  • Semester 1, Semester 2
Weekly contact time
  • 18-24 hours contact time, plus your own study time
Level of study
  • Undergraduate
Course Code
  • MJD-GEOGY
Full time/part time duration
  • 3 years (BSc), 4 years (BSc[Hons])
Honours Available
  • Yes
Degrees course is available in
  • Bachelor of Science
  • Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)

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Course Structure

Our undergraduate degrees offer you a broad range of options allowing you to combine subjects in a way that matches your career goals and personal interests.

Popular combinations

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Your degree options

This major is offered as a degree-specific, or first, major for these degrees. It is also offered as a second major in our other bachelor's degrees.